


Don't Play With Your Food.

by jpegcalum



Category: 5 Seconds of Summer (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Vampire, F/M, I'll add more tags later!, M/M, Vampire Calum, Vampire Michael, hunter Ashton, hunter luke
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-12
Updated: 2015-10-12
Packaged: 2018-04-26 00:08:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,475
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4982080
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jpegcalum/pseuds/jpegcalum
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The one where you're the vampire alpha of two dorks and hunters find you.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Don't Play With Your Food.

The night air is frigid as the grimy man teeters into a dark alley, a bottle of alcohol in hand as he sang off key, loudly into the night.   
"Don't stop! Believin! Somethin' somethin' deee da da da daaaaa..." He mumbled, the dew sticking to his clothes. The streets were completely empty, except for the young woman, standing in the only shaft of light. Her clothes tight, her hair loose, she sucked a bright red lip between her teeth.   
The drunk paused as he saw her, a wide grin stretching over his face. 

"Well, hello there, you pretty kitty, you. You lookin' for a goooooooood night?" He slurred, and she gave a giggle, grabbing him by the lapels of his shirt. He whistled, and the woman shook her head. 

"Only if you don't mind being shared, darling." 

The man didn't even have time to question it, because out of the gloom crept two more figures, and suddenly, the woman's fangs were in the bum's throat, his neck giving a sharp crack as the bones shattered under the pressure of her teeth. He shouldn't even scream before the other two, two young men, descended upon the body. 

The female grinned, wiping her lips.   
"Boys, share." She chuckled, watching as the two tore into their prey like ravenous wolves. 

Vampires, all three of them. The 'Alpha', the young woman, simply watched as her two Turned, both males, one with dark hair and tan skin, the other with bright blue hair and a paler complexion, ate. Three pairs of eyes glowed blood red in the pitch black as the streetlamp flickered out, but as soon as they had appeared, the three creatures had disappeared, nothing left of the drunkard except his bones.  
____________

"Would it kill you guys to clean up after yourselves?!" You shout, hearing the boys rough housing on the other side of the house.   
A crash from the living room makes you groan as you pick up the bloodstained clothes from the bathroom, glaring at the red rings in the sink. It was like living with toddlers.   
Tossing the shirts into the hamper, you begin down the hall. 

"Michael? Calum?" You call out, and suddenly the noise stops. You can still hear them whispering, though, with your supernatural hearing stretching through the walls. You roll your eyes, hurrying down the stairs, arriving just in time to see the boys shoving something down the couch cushions before picking up their XBox controllers like nothing was wrong. 

The curtains were drawn, the room nearly pitch black. A pizza box sat on the coffee table, the two boys sprawled out across the maroon couch. 

"What, (Y/n)?" Calum hardly looked up at you, his eyes a dark gold today, since he'd gotten to feed last night. He was focused on the FIFA game on the television, on which, you could see that he was winning against Michael. The bright haired young man did look up, his eyes, matching Calum's, covering up whatever they were hiding. 

You give them a suspicious look, picking up the remote and turning off the t.v. 

"Where's my phone?" 

You can smell the spike of fear, and you groan, holding your hand out. Slowly, Michael dug the broken pieces out of the crevice of the couch, standing up and handing them over. 

"Dammit, you two! I fucking swear, I regret every decision that had led up to this. Having to babysit two freaking children, for my entire life. You were supposed to be calm, you got your fill yesterday, didn't you?" You ask, watching their faces fall. 

"Well, yeah, but... we were just wrestling, and... Sorry." Michael started, and you sigh. 

Sure, they acted like kids, but they were really adults. You remember the day you turned them. 

They were dying.   
They were being stupid, speeding down a country backroad, thinking nothing could hurt them. They were stupid teenagers, thinking the world couldn't touch them, but they didn't see the truck coming around that turn, and then...

You'd been a few miles away, but you heard the smashing of metal, the screams of agony.   
No blood ran through your veins. No heartbeat broke the silence in your chest, but you still felt for the two boys in the sports car, battered and barely alive.

The car was like a crushed soda can, the driver of the truck had called 911, but you made sure he didn't remember seeing you rip apart the metal with your bare hands, dragging the boys out onto the asphalt.   
You bit them, but you didn't dare leave them to figure out the world on their own.   
You'd brought them home, taught them, and now they trusted you as their mother alpha.   
That was twenty years ago, and you didn't really regret it. Your boys had shown you life. Well, in the sense that they taught you excitement of being stupid. 

"I know. Fine. It's whatever, it's just a phone." You sigh, and you watch Calum let out a breath of relief.

"Hey, mom?" The dark haired boy asked, and you look up from the shattered electronic components in your hands. 

"Hm?" You ask. 

"I... I caught a weird scent last night. I kinda wanted to check it out today?" He requests, and you frown, knowing what he was talking about. You'd smelled it too. Dead vampire, and worse, wooden weapons. 

"No. Not you two. I'm going to check myself. Because if it is.. If it is hunters, I don't want you two deciding to charge headlong into a fight that you can't win." 

Michael scoffed.   
"What are you talking about? We're strong enough to fight our own battles!" He whined, crossing his arms. You point a finger at him, opening your mouth to speak, but suddenly, Calum is on his feet, his eyes wide as he stares at the door. 

"Cal?" You ask, stepping forward. He holds up a hand, looking anxiously at you. 

"I smell them." He mumbled.   
Each vampire was imbued with an ability, and Calum's just so happened to be heightened senses. He heard and smelled everything, which is why he spent much of his time with earbuds in, blocking out the squeaking mouse that was five miles away. 

"You can smell them? Them who?" Michael asked, lowering his stance. He was blessed with physical abilities, speed and strength, and he was able to fight for himself, but you know he just wasn't experienced enough. 

"Hunters." You deduce it yourself, and you watch the look of panic spreading over your boy's faces.   
"Hide. Now." You say, but Calum can hardly move a foot before a whistle through the air sounds, and he cries out.   
From through the door, a small wooden stake, about the size of a pencil, has been shot, impaling into your baby's back. You and Michael both give shouts of anger and he lunges forward, grabbing Calum easily before leaping behind the couch just as the door is kicked open. Wooden bullets fire in a flurry, and you are almost hit, since you barely have time to take shelter.   
Removing the spike from his brother's back, Michael's eyes have gone red, his fangs extended. You know that you have no control over him, but you grip their wrists, keeping them silent as the hunter, well, hunters, entered.

"Here, bloodsuckers... Come on out, we just want to say hello to you..." The voice is low and the scent is young and male, and you soon figure than both hunters are barely out of their teens, judging by the way they smell.   
"We know you're here, you freaks. Three of you. Two males and a female queen. You can't run from us now!" It's a different voice, and now you can feel Michael's body tense under your hand. 

"You'll do anything to protect your queen, so what would happen if we slaughtered her?" That was all the boys could take, apparently, because in an instant, they were both up, fully vamped out and ready to shred. You stood after them, content to let them deal with the problem. As they fought, rapid blurs of color, you took the time to observe the two hunters.   
The taller of the two fought Michael, long limbed and gawky, blond haired and not great coordination. A leather jacket and jeans stuck to his frame, but the clothing couldn't disguise his awkward movements. He couldn't land a blow on the blue haired vamp, but he blocked every strike.   
The other, the one Calum had chosen to take on, bore a bandana across honey colored curls, strong arms exposed. He wore a black tee shirt and dark jeans, heavy combat boots on his feet, and you watch in horror as one of those boots kick Calum backwards into the wall.  
"Hey! Leave them alone!" You feel yourself slipping into fury, your eyes glowing crimson and your fangs sliding out.   
Calum moved to get back up, and Michael raised a clawed hand, ready to tear a gash across the blond's chest, but he stops as he sees you. The activity seems to cease, but only for a moment.   
"Luke, now!" The shout comes and the gangly hunter moves, raising his gun and firing three rounds into Calum's stomach, making him wail in pain. He was immobilized, not in danger of being killed, but he'd just shot your baby. 

"You're going to regret that, you-" You snarl, lunging at the curly haired hunter. He laughed, catching you and slamming you to the ground. You struggle, but he seems to be just as strong as you. How was that possible?   
"Michael, get Calum out!" You cry out, and you hear a scuffle, even as you turn your attention back to your own fight. 

You want to bite, to tear and devour this fucking bastard, but when he rolls you and pins you down with a gun under your chin, you're forced to freeze.   
He smirks, now that he's got you trapped, and you can hear his bones creaking as he starts to pull the trigger, but a cry makes him stop, and you know immediately it's not one of your boys.   
You both look up, and you feel the man's grip relax.   
Michael has the other, Luke, in a choke hold, his mouth open and his fangs ready to sink into the muscles and flesh of his neck. 

"Ashton!" Luke cried out, and for a moment, your heart aches. He seems like he's just a child. How did he get tangled in this mess? 

"Stop! Stop, don't hurt him, please!" The knee that's been dug into your stomach is gone suddenly, and you hiss as he stands, his weapon aimed at Michael instead. 

"Don't you fucking dare, Michael Gordon Clifford." You scramble to your feet, feeling like an idiot. You're wearing jeans and a huge tee shirt, not looking like the vamp queen they seemed to think you were.   
Your bare feet cross the floor, a hand raised to calm your Turned.   
Calum still sat by the door, breathing hard. You can sense the agony coursing through him, and you take a shaky breath. 

"Michael, drop him." You say, and you glance at the hunter beside you, Ashton, as Luke had called him. He looked furious, but if he wanted his friend back, alive, he was going to have to get over it.

Michael closes his mouth, turning his gaze on you as he uses the link in your minds to communicate. 

'He hurt Calum! I want to rip him to shreds!' He thought to you, and you growl. 

'Do as I say, now. If you kill him, none of us are getting out alive.' You respond, your gaze flickering to Cal, who was staring up at you. 

'Just a minute, baby, you're doing so good.' 

And just like that, Michael snarled, releasing the hunter. That was your cue to step in front of them protectively. 

"I want you out. Now. We pose no threat to you, so you have no reason to attack us. Find something else to kill." You growl as you watch Ashton hold Luke close, supporting his weight. 

The hunter looked like he wanted to fight, but he scowled.  
"This isn't the last time you'll see us, bitch." He snapped, and you hear Michael give a furious noise. All the same, he stepped aside, allowing the two to stumble out of the house with their tails between their legs.

____________  
"Ow!" 

"Hold still, assface." You growl, hovering over Calum. He laid on the shredded couch, and you were working on removing the spikes from his stomach.

"It hurts, though." You did pity your Turned, of course. Black veins surrounded the three wounds, and you knew they were embedded far enough to cause substantial pain. He whimpered as you touched around the stakes, and you hear Michael suck in a breath. This is making him crazy, seeing Calum like this. But you needed his help. 

"Michael, hold him down please." You say, and he's quick to obey. The dark haired boy looks anxious, trying to sit up, but Michael grabs him by the shoulders, shoving him down hard.  
"No, wait! Wait, I don't want you to-" He stammers, but you block him out as you wrench one of the stakes from his soft belly. He gave a wail of agony, writhing, but Michael held him, even though you both bore matching grimaces.

"Shh, sh Cal, it's okay, just two more." Michael whispered, pushing the hair back from his brother's forehead. You wait for the nod telling you to continue, before pulling another and getting a similar response.

"You're doing so good, Calum, just one more, okay? Then we can cuddle and you can rest. One more. One, two-" You don't wait for three, ripping the last shard of wood from him. You can tell they were tipped with something; regular wooden bullets didn't hurt like that. They were just annoying. Unless they hit the heart. In that case, plan the funeral.

When he's finally calmed down, Calum pries his eyes open, looking up at his brother. The wounds have already closed on his belly, but it's no reason for celebration. Michael breathed out uneasily; you can tell he's shaken by everything that's happened.   
Hunters were hardly ever in town, and when they were, you knew about it. 

"You can take him to his room. I'll be there soon." You give a warm smile, and Michael nods, carefully picking Calum up and carrying him slowly up the stairs.

Waiting till you hear the door upstairs close before turning to assess the damage that was dealt to your home.   
The furniture is obliterated, the television bearing several holes in it.   
Now, thinking back on it, you weren't very quiet getting in last night. The boys, fed and running on adrenaline from the hunt, had been excited, and you'd joked along with them, probably alerting the hunters to your presence.   
Fuck. 

You scrub a hand across your face, sighing softly. You knew what this meant for you. 

Turning, you climb the stairs, dragging your feet. You know that the boys will be disappointed, but you won't have them in danger.   
Turning left at the end of the hall, you enter the dark room, shutting the door behind you. It's hard to see the decoration, or the disaster, rather, that it's in, but you clearly see Michael curled around Calum on the unmade bed. He barely looks up as you climb beside them, nuzzling both of them like a mother cat. They give soft mumbles in reply, and you smile, cuddling up to them. 

"We're moving. We're out by tonight, starting over across town." You mumble, and you feel the desolate drop in emotion. 

"We'll go to the store tomorrow morning for new furniture, and I'll have someone come in and clean up this mess." 

"Is the Xbox broken?" Mikey asked softly, lacing his fingers with yours. You smile, and shake your head. 

"It's fine. Good to see you've got your priorities in order, though."   
He shrugs, squeezing your hand. Calum, already asleep beneath both of you, stirred, but you soothed him with a kiss to the forehead. 

"We'll lose the hunters." You promise, seeing Michael's worried face. Your night vision isn't nearly as good as your day, but you can see that much. 

"I almost killed him, (Y/n)." He responds, and you sigh. 

"Why are you worried about that? You kill all the time." 

"No, you do. I just feed after you kill. I don't like doing it." He mumbled. You place a kiss on his cheek.   
"You don't have to kill. But if your instincts tell you to kill a hunter that's hurt your brother, you listen to them." Your voice is firm, but soft. 

"Yes, mom." He shows no hesitation at all, and you smile, stroking his hair as he dozes off in your arms.  
____________

"Mom?!"

"Michael!?"

"Marco!"

"Polo!"

"You are both children! Get your asses over here!" You shout through the Wal-Mart, hearing pounding feet hurrying to you. You don't know why you thought it would be a good idea to take the boys shopping with you, but here you are, in the furniture section, waiting for them to come back. Already having picked out a new futon and table, along with a couple chairs, you aren't worried about prices. You never do- You were left with a substantial sum of money from your parent's after their passing, so long ago. Smart with your cash, you've stretched it, but you've also picked up odd jobs along the way. Underground vamp mafia, your skills... They paid well.   
You look around again, huffing as you don't see the boys.  
Usually, you don't mind letting them roam. They are adults, after all.  
It's just that, after yesterday, you're a little reluctant.   
Craning your neck, you sigh, wondering where they are, when a scent touches your nose, and you whirl around, fangs bared. The musk that reached you is familiar, but not in the good way. And the source, even less so.   
Pale brown curls, hazel eyes, Led Zeppelin tank top barely covering his chest, and a shopping basket hanging from one muscular arm. Your eyes meet, and you hiss, ready for a fight, and he reaches to his hip, presumably for a gun, but he faltered, his eyes wide. 

"I'm not going shoot you in a Wal-Mart." 

You're temporarily stunned, faltering in your threatening stance.   
"...what?" You ask, and he shrugs vaguely, glancing around. 

"Where are the other two?" He asks, and you can't help but be a little confused. 

"Didn't you try to kill me yesterday? Like hell I'd tell you where my kids are." It's like those words are a whistle, because at that moment, Michael and Calum entered the aisle, arms loaded with junk food. Empty appetites.   
They froze, going silent as soon as they see the hunter, Michael hissing loudly. It was hard for him to look too threatening, given his arms were filled with boxes of pizza bagels. 

"Ah. There they are." The man smirked, glancing at you. 

"So... I'm Ashton, and your blue haired bloodsucker over there tried to make a snack out of my brother Luke. Hey, how's the stomach?" Ashton addressed Calum, who gave an animalistic growl. 

"Don't patronize them. I'll let them eat you." You snap, and the hunter raises his hands in defense.

"Alright, fine. Can I at least get names? I mean, we're gonna be seeing a lot of each other in the coming weeks." He requests, and its your turn to growl. 

"Michael, Calum, and (Y/n)." You growl, figuring that if you were going to kill him, he deserved the luxury of your names. 

"Right. I'll call you Dumbass, Target, and Princess." He points to each of you respectively, and you give a hiss. 

"Don't insult them." You snarl, but Ashton only laughs, shaking his head. 

"My bad, Princess. My intention was never to hurt your feelings, just theirs." He winks, and you fight the primal urge to kick his ass then kiss him. Wait, what?

"Can I eat him?" Calum asks, and you're about to step in when the hunter rolled his eyes, running a hand through his curls. Michael gives you a slight look, and in that moment, you know you're caught. 

"Well, this has been fun, but Luke is waiting for me to come back and nurse his wounds. Thanks for that, Dumbass." Ashton gave a thumbs up, and you step in front of your boys, who look ready to commit murder in a Wal-Mart furniture aisle.

Ashton waves, and turns to leave, but as he walks, he looks back over his shoulder, meeting your eyes and holding your stare.   
His eyes are beautiful. It was like a breath of fresh air that expanded your lungs for the first time in fifty years. You'd been a day past your nineteenth birthday when you'd been turned at the claws of a former lover. He wasn't around anymore, given that you'd taken care of him, but even the thrill he had given you couldn't compare to this, and it was just a look.   
You're jarred from your thoughts by an angry noise behind you, and you turn to see Michael had dumped his food into the cart. 

"You like him!" He said, voice incredulous. You give a growl, but he doesn't back down.   
"You're going to get us killed!" 

"Michael, Mom wouldn't do that. Besides, she's dedicated herself to us, so what if she's got a crush? We can turn him so she can be happy." Calum's voice was barely above a whisper, but you snarl, facing him. 

"I don't have a crush. And we aren't turning any hunters, got it? Now let's go, we have things to do." You mutter. Michael is fuming, clearly unconvinced by your words, but he doesn't dare fight you. Calum sighs, dropping his food into the cart as well be for following you down the aisle.

____________

There is a list of rules that your boys follow without question, most of the time. The top rule on said list is 'Never go out alone at night'.   
You should have known it would be broken.   
You'd been asleep when it happened, the one day a month you slept for twenty four hours, so you didn't have to rest again for thirty days. It was a perk of being an alpha vampire, but it meant you couldn't watch your young.   
You're woken by a terrible feeling, deep in your chest and making you feel ill. You didn't linger in bed, pulling on a hoodie and a pair of jeans, grabbing your boots on the way out.   
"Calum? Michael?!" You shout through the small apartment, not catching any trace of them.   
Until the door opens and shuts, shaky breathing pricking your senses. 

"Calum?" You ask, stepping into the main room. You're still a bit groggy, but you can tell already that he's trembling, and tears are welled in his gold eyes. 

"Mom... they took Michael." He whispered, and you freeze. 

"What?" You ask softly, and he lets out a choked sob. 

"The hunters! They came back, they grabbed him, i-I tried t-to... he went out alone, it was raining, I didn't smell them until they had taken him..." He wails, and you hurry forward, pulling him into your arms and stroking his hair. Although he's taller than you, his head is buried in your shoulder. 

"How did he find us?" He asks, and you shake your head. 

"I don't know. But we're going to find your brother."

____________

"I'll fucking shred you, you bastards!" Michael hadn't stopped shouting since he'd gotten taken, and he could tell that the hunters were growing tired of his fighting. 

Chained to a wooden chair, the vampire couldn't move too much without feeling the burn of dead man's blood in his system, making him weak and unable to pull out of his bonds.  
Sat before him, straddling a backwards folding chair, the blond hunter stared at him, chin resting on crossed arms. His blue eyes were intense, and a bit unnerving, but it was pissing Michael off. 

"Look, I don't know anything you don't! There's only three of us, and (Y/n) is our queen! You know where we live, you know we only kill assholes who would hurt innocent people! Hell, I don't even kill!" The vampire tried again, and Luke rolled his eyes, getting off the chair, somewhat awkwardly as his long legs got caught and he knocked it over. He played it off, though he looked like he was going to apologize to the chair. He moved behind Michael, and he can hear metal moving against metal, like he had a tray of tools. 

"You heal right away, right? Except when you're stabbed in the chest, of course." The hunter began, and Michael cringed as he heard the unmistakable hiss of a knife being sharpened. 

"But it still hurts." Luke finished, and a sharp pain drew through the bloodsucker's torso. He gave a growl of pain, mixed with annoyance as the blade cut through his shirt and into the cold skin of his chest as the hunter rounded to face him. 

"I like it when you yell. Do it again? Maybe your queen will come to get you, and Ashton can take care of her. Y'know, her head would look nice on the ground..." 

Michael lunged forward, ignoring the dull ache in his bones as he snarled at him. No one hurt his mom. Ever. 

"Or maybe your friend, Calum? Oh, wait... He's the one who got you here." Luke smirked as the creature faltered, confusion in his red eyes.

"You didn't guess it? He's the one who drew us to town. He was tired of living by the rules, subdued. He wanted us to get rid of you and (Y/n)." 

"You're a fucking liar. He's my brother!" Michael roared, twisting violently in the chair. Luke just laughed, and shook his head.   
"Feeling betrayed, bloodsucker? Did it hurt your heart? Like this?" With those words, he jammed the six inch hunting blade into his unbeating heart, earning a screech of agony before it was pulled back out. He moved it do it again, but he paused hearing footsteps coming down the stairs.

"Lucas, what part of quiet don't you get?" 

Michael looked up weakly, his fringe hanging in front of his eyes. Ashton, the older hunter, stood there, wearing sweatpants and a tank top, like he was just lounging instead of organizing a way to kill his family. 

"I like it when he's loud." Luke replied, still leaned over the vampire, a hand on his shoulder, the other clutching the knife, the point poised over his heart. The previous wounds were healed over completely, no trace left of them.

"Please, save the kinky habits for later, Luke. Leave him alone, I don't want to kill him." Ashton said, crossing his arms as he observed the creature in the chair. 

"What? Is... isn't that what we're here for? That's what we're getting paid to do, Ash." The younger asked, but his brother shook his head.

"We're getting paid to quell them. Not kill them. If we can cure them, we won't have to kill them." 

"What the fuck are you talking about?! Every other vampire problem we've had, we always killed them! What's different about this one?" Luke stood up straight, his knuckles white around the knife handle. 

"Nothing. There's nothing different." Ashton growled, but the blond wasn't having it.

"It's her, isn't it? You've got a boner for the queen, don't you? You're unbelievable! Fuck, Ashton, you can't do this!" He shouted, and Michael could see it coming. 

The elder curled his lip, shoving Luke so hard that he stumbled, dropping the knife. 

"Don't you doubt my loyalty, Luke. I'm fucking serious. Don't question me." He snapped, and Luke got back up, grabbing the blade and pointing at his brother. 

"Don't touch me. I'll stab you." He growled, and Michael took the opportunity, beginning to slip free of the chains. 

"I dare you." 

Having been looking down, Michael hadn't seen Luke rush Ashton, but he hear the growls and smelled the blood, his head jerking up.   
The older had wrestled the knife away, slicing his palm in the process. They'd stopped fighting, the weapon a few feet away. But the scent of the blood, that strengthened Michael enough to literally snap the restraints that held him. The noise alerted both hunters, and they turned just as the vampire stood, his fangs bared. 

"Uh... Plan?" Luke asked, and Ashton just stood there, trying to think of a way to bring the creature down without killing him. 

"Let me handle this, Luke." He said softly, displaying the bloodied hand to Michael, trying to draw him in. Luke could only stare. It was like Ashton wanted to be attacked! What an idiot!   
He was going to do what he said, until he remembered what Calum had said.   
Michael was faster than other vampires. 

"Ashton, no!" Luke shouted, jumping in the line of fire, just as Michael began moving. The man collided with him, knocked to the hard concrete. 

Michael didn't remember what happened after he sank his fangs into the soft flesh of Luke's throat.

____________

Finding the hideout was surprisingly easy, to be honest. Almost... worryingly. Like Calum knew where he was going.   
You try to shake the feeling, and you attribute it to knowing your baby was hurt. 

The hunters were on the other side of town, in a housing development that'd been abandoned, due to the company that was building them going bankrupt. 

"I can hear them." Calum mumbles as he drives, the black truck rattling around on the unpaved road.   
The houses are half finished- The basements had been done, and the outer structure and the walls built, but nothing else. It was barren.   
You sit beside him, vigilant and searching. Your hearing and scent was nowhere near as good as his, but he glances at you every so often, as if he expects you to hear it too. 

After a few circles around the cul de sac, he finally pulls up outside one of the houses at the very back, a red sports car parked outside it.   
You waste no time, because now you can smell them.   
Someone's bleeding... Shit. It doesn't matter now. You leap out of the car, kicking open the door just in time to hear a scream of agony, and you know what's happening. 

"Michael, no!" You cry out, your superhuman speed in action as you fly down the steps to the basement, just in time to catch Ashton's arm as he holds a wooden stake, ready to stab it into Michael's back. The Turned is on the floor, hunkered over a young blond hunter. Luke had stopped breathing, his blue eyes open and glassy. The vampire drank from him, and you can smell that he's close to drained. 

"Ashton, no! Don't hurt him!" You shout, but the man is struggling against you, screaming profanities as tears ran down his cheeks. He wailed as Michael finally pulled away, revealing the body. Ash screamed as he took in the sight, the stake falling from his hand. 

Luke was pale, his lips blue and his own blood smeared from his chest up to his jaw.

"NO! No, you fucking monster! No!" He screamed, and you feel his knees buckling, so you slowly drop with him, your arms crossed over his chest. His hands clutched at your wrists and he rests his head against your shoulder as he gasped for air, sobbing like a broken child. He pulls at your grip, and you release him when Michael stands, his back turned. He was trembling, and you could smell the guilt wafting off of him in waves.   
Ashton smells of guilt as well. Fear, sadness, pain... you watch with a tight throat as the hunter pulls his brother into his arms, sniffling as he gently presses his eyes closed. He looks around for something to clean up the blood with, and you pull off your hoodie, holding it out to him. He takes it without a word, and you watch, trying not to listen as he mumbles to Luke, tears still falling from his eyes.   
Suddenly, his eyes are on Calum, and he glares.  
"This is your fault." He spat, and you glance, confused, between them as you stand, moving moving pull Michael into your arms. He is silently weeping, Luke's blood painting his face and hands as he clings to you.

"This isn't my fault. I told you. I gave you precautions!" Calum snapped back, and you look up. 

"Calum?" You ask, your brows pulling together.   
"Did you have something to do with this?"

He freezes, looking at you. 

"Luke said he did. He said that he sold us out." Michael pipes up, still safely folded into your arms. You can only stand there, stunned, your eyes wide as you stare at your Turned in horror. 

"No, Mom, you don't... You don't understand!" Calum tries, but you let go of Michael, rushing at Calum and pinning him to the wall with a roar.

"Get out." You snarl in his face. He shies back, as far as he can, but you tighten your fist around his throat, and he whimpers.   
"Get out of my home. Get out of my city. Stay away from my family. You've got what you clearly wanted. You're on your own." You release him, shoving him.   
His lip trembled, but he swallowed hard, glancing first at his brother, then at Ashton, before turning and sprinting up the stairs and out of the house.

You feel shattered. Your trust is fractured, and you're struggling to not cry, but a new scent fills the room, and you know that Luke has finished his transition. 

Another difficult decision needs making.   
Slowly, you kneel beside Ashton. 

"I need to take him with me, Ash. He needs to come to the den with me until he's strong." You whisper, your eyes on the honey haired boy. He looks up, and shakes his head.

"You're out of your mind." He states, and you shake your head. 

"I'm not. He... he could kill you if you keep him here. And I don't mean drain and turn. I mean devour. I need to take him. Just... just for a week. He's still a person, he just needs to learn. He'll be back to himself in no time." You promise, and Michael gives a noise of affirmation. 

Ash hesitates, looking up at you anxiously. He looks like a child like this, afraid and small. You place a soft hand on his cheek, stroking the skin gently. 

"You have to take care of him. Promise me you will. And I have to see him." His voice was gravelly and quiet, and you nod, leaning in and kissing his forehead.   
Michael leans down, carefully lifting Luke into his arms, still frowning.

"He needs time. But I swear, you'll see him again."   
____________

The week with Luke was rough. If he'd stayed with Ashton, it would have broken the hunter, having to watch him. 

Michael was a blessing to the newly Turned, whether he saw it or not. He taught him, comforted him, and spent the most time with him. Luke seemed to forgive what he'd done, by the way he didn't flinch away when Michael sat next to him. They played video games together, and Michael was the one who coaxed Luke into feeding for the first time. It'd been messy, but newly Turned vampires had to eat every day, so you had to teach him early.

The first time Luke had woken up in the small apartment, he'd panicked, screaming and fighting. You'd had to pin him down and talk him down for an hour and a half, and even then, he was still sobbing and shaking. He'd asked for his brother, and he was so pathetic that you'd called Ashton and handed the phone to the younger, watching and listening in to the conversation.   
Luckily, the older hunter had kept his word about staying away. You don't think you could bear to push him away anymore. He needs his brother, even if just over the phone.   
Maybe you've gone soft, but Michael has too. You notice that, recently, the pair have been nearly inseparable; sleeping in the same bed, mumbling together, and you decide that either Michael has developed feelings for the former hunter, or Luke just needs to have the company all the time. You're leaning towards the first choice, though. 

Today, you've arranged to get coffee with Ashton, and Michael is staying at the apartment with Luke, since he still needed a bit more adjusting. You're not sure he won't sink his teeth into the first person he sees, and if he does, it'll just be chaos that you're not ready to deal with. 

The two are curled up on the couch under a blanket, the curtains drawn as they watch Star Wars, but you're not sure they're really paying attention. Luke doesn't look like he's awake, the way he was leaned against Michael, who's watching you ruffle your hair. You meet his glowing eyes, and he smirks, as if he knows that you don't put on real pants for just anyone. 

"You really like him, huh?" Michael thinks to you, and you snort. 

"No. I don't know anything about him. But he's pretty." You respond, and he giggles as Luke scoffs. Maybe he is awake. 

You roll your eyes and leave the apartment, sending a quick text to Ashton, letting him know you were on your way. 

____________

So maybe Ashton was a little hungover. No big deal, he could deal with it. It's not like it was the first time this had happened.   
He was miserable.   
He blamed himself for Luke, and having not been able to see him had just added insult to injury. (Y/n) said he was doing well, that he was smiling occasionally, even. While he's happy that Luke is alive, to an extent, he is bitter that the bloodsucker got him. He wanted to slaughter them.   
But not her.   
(Y/n) seemed different. She didn't try to hurt them, she was just defending her kind. He could understand that... But when Michael had grabbed Luke, Ashton had frozen up. He'd just watched him tear into him. When the other vampires had arrived, he'd expected (Y/n) to bite him, but then she'd been so kind and gentle, and he couldn't help it. Her golden eyes, her soft lips, the way she handled herself, they all made him dizzy.   
What the hell was wrong with him?

Currently, he was sat at an outdoor table at the coffee shop, a wide brimmed hat sat upon his mess of curls. Sunglasses covering his eyes, he sipped at straight black coffee, hoping the girl would be there soon. He was getting tired of the light. 

"You smell awful." 

A smirk draws over his lips at the voice, and he rolls his eyes, glancing up as (Y/n) dropped into the wrought iron chair across from him. 

"Well, I've been busy. I put on cologne, I thought that would help." Ashton replies. Her lips pull into a smile, and he thinks he might fall over dead. He wants to see that all the time. She should never stop smiling. 

"It's the cologne that smells so bad." He can hear the laugh in her voice, and he scoffs, pretending to be offended. 

"Well, at least I don't smell like death and decomposing bodies." He realized that his words may have wounded her too late, as the smile disappears, and she looks down. He's embarrassed her. 

"I... that's not... I'm sorry, that was awful of me."

"Yeah, it was." She says quietly, but she seems to shake it off.   
"Luke is doing fine, he's with Michael. They were watching Star Wars when I left, and he ate last night. Hopefully he'll be ready to leave the house by tomorrow or the day after that." 

"Good... is he happy? He loved being a hunter, but..." He asked softly, setting his cup down. 

"I wouldn't say happy. I'd say he's coming to accept it. He hates feeding, but I think he likes the bonding parts of it. That just means that we cuddle a lot, which, I understand how your poor man mind can't comprehend that." 

"No, I love cuddling! I don't have anyone to cuddle with most of the time, since Luke insists that he's way too grown up to." Ashton smiled softly, hoping that she'd forgiven his earlier comment. 

"Well... A vampire cuddle pile might be a little dangerous for you. I wouldn't want you getting bit. You're so alive... Your eyes are too pretty. I don't want you to change." (Y/n) gave a smile, turning and catching a waitress, ordering a drink quickly. 

"You think I'm pretty?" He asked, and she turned back, blinking. 

"Did I say pretty? Slip of the tongue." She shrugged, studying him.

"Slip of the tongue." Ash winked, leaning forward as he pondered the phrase. Tongue... He'd like to kiss her, to taste her cold lips against his, to brush a hand over her hair. 

"Hello?" Snapping back to reality by way of a waving hand in front of his face, he blinked, leaning back. She sat before him, a brow cocked and a smirk on her lips. 

"Getting excited, hunter boy?" She asked, and he let out an offended noise. 

"I am a man, thank you." 

"Uh huh. Well, when you stop day dreaming and start acting on it, let me know. We'll talk." Suddenly she was standing up, glancing at her phone. 

"Hm... I have to go. The boys are hungry." She said. 

"You really are the mother, aren't you? Is Luke gonna start calling you mom?" Ashton asked, standing up as well. The waitress arrived, handing her a to go cup, and (Y/n) smiled softly. 

"I never initiated that. Michael started it after I turned him." She replied, tucking her phone in her pocket.

"Oh... I'll have to ask about that sometime." He said, rubbing his neck. 

"I'll tell you if you want." Now it was just... tense filler. She was staring at him, her eyes piercing and beautiful, and Ashton couldn't stop himself. Nearly taking out the chair as he hurried to her, he grabbed her, a hand on her waist and a hand on her cheek, pulling her in and kissing her hard.   
She stiffened in his hands, and for a moment, he feared he'd made a mistake, but in a moment she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down to her, almost desperately, like she'd been contemplating doing the same.   
This was crazy.   
He should have been been killing her, but all he wanted to do was keep her safe and folded into his arms.   
She was the one to break the kiss, her eyes swirling with gold and brown. She swallows hard, stepping back from him.   
"I... I need to go." She choked out before disappearing in a blur of color, leaving Ashton alone and wondering what the hell had just happened.   
____________ 

"I smell him all over you." Was the first thing Michael said as you opened the door to the apartment.

"I know." You mumble, pulling the keys from your pocket as you head to the kitchen. You keep the blood fridge locked, in case one of your Turned get a little crazy. It's important to ration, so they don't get blood drunk and reckless.   
Maybe you should write a handbook on the care and keeping of stupid undead teenaged boys. It probably wouldn't sell very well, but it would help you out a lot.   
You pull out two blood bags, watching as the boys seated themselves at the breakfast nook, and you turn to observe them.   
Michael looks grumpy, as if he's just woken up, and you assume he has. You never try to have a full conversation with him when he's like this. It's too difficult, what with him baring his fangs at you and sticking his tongue out. He's in his terrible two's- twenties, rather. You turned him at a bad time. He's like a rotten kitten. 

Luke, however, looks more subdued and shy, though you know he's not really like that. He's quiet, but you know it's from fear. He's always dripping with it, but when he's with Michael, things are different. He's more relaxed, happy, and he even jokes around sometimes. The thing about newly turned vampires: they develop bonds much, much quicker. Michael and Calum had bonded with you and each other, which is why thinking about Calum made you ill. It was like your heart had been wrenched from your chest and smashed into a thousand pieces.   
You mourned for him, for your lost child. You should have hated him, but you couldn't bring yourself to. You still loved him, and you knew, deep down, that you would take him back in a heartbeat. 

"Mom?" You hear the shy, timid voice break the silence, and you blink, seeing Luke standing beside you, his gold eyes flickering with concern. You look down and swallow hard as you realize that you've crushed the blood bags, spilling the contents onto yourself and the counter. 

"I..." You look down at yourself, horrifically embarrassed. You never screwed up like this, but with every frustration and anxiety that crippled you, you slipped up. 

"It's okay, Mom," Michael was at your side in a moment, prying the bags from your fingers slowly. Luke grabbed a rag, beginning to mop the blood from your hands, studying your ruined shirt. 

"I'm sorry." You saw quietly, and your older Turned shook his head hard, stroking your hair gently. 

"It's okay, it happens. You know, in twenty years, you've never taken out your stress on anything. You've always been our mom, and you deserve to be angry sometimes." He said, kissing your nose. You muster a small smile, taking both of your children's hands. 

"Are... are you mad at us?" Luke asks softly, and you turn to him, your brows drawn before you release Michael and hug the blond gently. 

"No, Luke. You haven't done anything wrong. You've handled this so well, and I could never be mad with you. You're my baby now, and I'm going to take care of you. I'm not mad at you." 

You smell the relief flowing off of him, and you sigh, pulling him close. 

"I am hungry, though, (Y/n)." Michael chimes in, and you laugh quietly, reaching back and taking his hand, squeezing gently to convey your affection.  
____________  
The room was dark and cool, comfortable for the pair of vampires that laid across the bed, catching a midday nap. The sun burned bright behind the blackout curtains across the room, the light eager to drip in. 

"Michael." One groaned, jabbing the other in the ribs with a boney finger. His legs hung off the bed as he laid on his stomach, only a foot of space in between the two. 

"What Luke." It wasn't even a question, the blue haired creature's face buried in the blankets. He'd long since stopped pretending to be nice and cuddly with him.

"I'm cold." Luke mumbled quietly, trying to curl up, but Michael groaned, poking Luke back. 

"You're dead. We're always cold. Get used to it." Michael replied.

"Michaeeelllll...." The younger whined, rolling over beside him, nudging his head against his shoulder, and the other sighed, rolling up on his side and around so that he was long ways on the bed. His arm up, he invited the smaller blond, who smiled, cuddling up against his chest happily, inhaling the other's deep, earthy, slightly pizza-y scent with a smile.   
While he missed Ashton bitterly, Luke has come to terms with himself, quicker than he thought he would, and Michael had become his favorite. His favorite person, his favorite thing, his favorite cuddle buddy, and he could feel another favorite something brewing in his chest.   
Lying in Michael's arms and facing him, Luke could see his face very clearly in the dark, and he leaned in, giving him an Eskimo kiss.

"You're the worst. If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were a leech." Michael smiled softly, very carefully wrapping his arms around Luke's waist. 

"Not that kind of blood sucking monster." The boy replied, nuzzling against him. His blond hair was rumpled from laying on the bed, but for once, he didn't mind. He allowed himself to be the awkward, shy child. 

"You're cuter than a leech. And I wouldn't want to kiss a leech." Michael mumbled, and Luke gave a giggle. 

"You want to kiss me?"

"Yeah... if you're okay with that."

"Hell yeah." 

Michael's smile grew a bit as he leaned in, and, starting at the edge of his jaw, began to lay kisses across Luke's pale flesh, tracing a line to the corner of his lips. He giggled softly, grinning as he felt Luke's response, an awkward smile and laugh. 

Michael had no choice. He had to finish it now. Leaning close, he pressed their lips together, sparks flying- at least, Michael thought he saw them. He couldn't stop smiling.   
This was cute and obnoxiously perfect, perfect in a world that could crack in their palms at any moment. 

Luke practically purred against him, if a vampire could purr. His nails dragged over Michael's arms gently before shifting, slipping under his tee shirt to trace over his belly. The older giggled softly against his lips, feeling the tickling fingers and retaliating, pulling out of the kiss and latching his mouth against the muscle that connected Luke's neck to his shoulder, blowing a wet raspberry and making him squeal.   
"Mikey!" He wailed, wriggling about as he tried to free himself. Trying to jerk away, Luke shoved his shoulder up against Michael's fangs, yelping as they pierced his skin and blood dripped onto the other's tongue.   
Mom had taught Michael and Calum, once, a long time ago, about feeding from other vampires. She said that it would never satisfy, and that it was dangerous, turning the feeder into a beast. 

"M-Michael, stop!" Luke cried out, shoving at his chest, but he only bit harder, making him scream out in pain.   
Michael's eyes had gone red as he pulled, a deep growled in the back of his throat.

Luke was panicking now. He was feeling sick, and Michael was too strong. 

"Mom! Mom, help!" He screamed out, and not two seconds later did the door fly open, spilling light into the room. The woman covered the space between the door and the bed in record time, grabbing her older Turned and whispering to him softly, her eyes on Luke.   
"Michael, release him. This is wrong, you're hurting him, and you're going to kill yourself. His blood is poisonous to you. Let go, Mikey, come on, that's it... Good boy, you're so good..." She murmured, guiding him away from the pale blond, who scrambled off the bed to the closet, where he curled up, terrified. 

"Michael. Go clean yourself up and wait for me in the living room." She said, and the boy was quick to obey, practically flying out of the room. 

(Y/n) took a deep breath as she looked over at Luke, who was trembling like a leaf. He didn't want to be touched, or spoken to. 

"I want Ashton. I want my brother." He mumbled blindly, looking up at her. She was about to tell him no, but the pitiful look on his face made her nod, pulling out her phone and sending a text. 

"He's coming, baby." She said, getting on the floor and crawling to him slowly. He flinched, but she gently wiped the blood from his neck anyway, wrapping an arm around him. He didn't speak, he just curled against her heavily, sniffling occasionally.   
____________  
You can feel the shock radiating from him, pain and anxiety shaking him.   
You never expected this from Michael. You trusted him, and recently... He'd gotten out of control, and you think you know why.

He never did this when Calum was here...   
You're so lost in thought that you barely hear the pounding on the door. 

"Mom, the hunter's here!" Michael shouted, and you sigh, hearing the footsteps come down the hall, and the bedroom door open slowly. 

"Luke? (Y/n)?" The thickly accented voice called out softly, and you stick a hand outside the closet door, waving him over. It's a bit of a confined space, enough for three, maybe four people, but with Luke in your arms, his legs stretched out, he's taking up enough space for two. 

Ashton pokes his head around the wooden door, and you can barely make out his face in the dark, but you hear his heart rate spike as he sees his brother and he quickly scoots in, maneuvering so that Luke is on his lap, and he's clutching him tightly.   
You consider leaving him, but as Luke clutches to Ashton, you can't help but think he might lose himself. He seems to be handling it well, but when you look back up, your eyes meet Ashton's. 

"What happened?" He asked softly, and you sigh. 

"Michael lost control. He just... snapped. He didn't hurt Luke too badly, I think he's more scared than anything else." Your voice low, you gently squeeze the Turned's hands. 

"Why didn't you stop him?" 

The question surprises you, and you frown.   
"I did. I sent Michael out of here. I... I need to find Calum. Can you help me?" You ask, and Ashton snorts. 

"Tracking him?" He asks, and you shake your head. 

"Babysitting." You reply, and his eyes widened. 

"No way." 

"Yes way."

____________

Michael wouldn't stop staring, and Ashton was getting unnerved. They'd moved to the living room after (Y/n) had left, and her only instruction was that if they get rowdy, hide. So helpful and comforting. She had kissed him goodbye with a hand tugging at his hair, making him weak at the knees, but then she'd taken off, and here he was, sitting across from Michael on the couch, Luke on the floor, absently picking at a piece of pizza. He'd calmed substantially, but Michael had been incredibly protective, keeping his distance at the same time.   
He finally stopped staring, scooting off the couch and sitting beside Luke on the floor. The blond didn't move, even as Michael butted his head against his shoulder, mumbling something Ashton couldn't hear. A small smile dripped over Luke's face, and he turned capturing Michael's lips in a light kiss.   
"Whoa, what?" Ashton suddenly sat straight up, his eyes wide. The boys broke apart, looking up at him. 

"You tried to kill him, and he killed you! Why are you all-" He waved his hands, and Luke cocked a brow in confusion, while Michael blushed, and scooted away. The blond, however, reached out and grabbed his hand.

"You kissed Mom." Luke muttered, and Ashton frowned. 

"Did she tell you? Was she talking about me?" He asked, and Michael cracked a smile.   
"You have a huge crush on her, don't you? You do know it's dangerous for a human to love a vampire, right? She'll kill you before she lets your into her bed." The blue haired vampire said, and Ashton scowled. 

"If I hadn't promised her I wouldn't murder you, you'd be a pile of dust right now. I'm not stupid." He muttered, leaning back into the couch and closing his eyes.  
This was ridiculous. He was a hunter, babysitting his prey like a moron.   
He was close to dozing off when he felt the cushion beside him sink and a sudden weight on his chest, making him crack an eye open. Luke had decided that his brother was a good pillow, tucking his head against his neck with a small purring noise.   
Ashton was comfortable, but as he looked down at Michael, he frowned a bit. The Turned was staring in fear, and the hunter didn't understand why. Until, that is, he felt the fangs pierce his throat, and he let out a broken cry, trying to struggle away, but Luke was so strong, his clawed hands closed hard around his wrists.  
He was getting light headed, and the animalistic noises his brother was making as he fed from him were utterly terrifying. He choked, his struggling useless and weak. He tried once more before he let the dark close in.   
If he was going to die, being murdered by his own brother was a pretty good way to go.

____________

You track Calum easily, and as it turned out, he'd not left the city at all. He had simply moved to the rough district, where you're wolf whistled and shouted at as you inhale the scent of your lost vampire.   
You've not been gone long, and your phone hasn't vibrated yet, thankfully. At least everything was okay at home. Hopefully... You really need Michael to not be causing trouble for Ashton. You feel like a single mother, which, you kind of are. 

Turning down an alley, you follow the distinct, sweet, woodsy scent, to a door that you almost missed since it was almost hidden behind a dumpster. You take a deep breath before raising your fist to knock, but it suddenly flies open, and you're being knocked backwards by the sheer force of the hug.  
You stumble, your arms raised, but you don't wait much longer before embracing Calum tightly, stroking a hand through his hair. You've missed him bitterly... you didn't realize how much until now. 

"I want to come home. I'm so sorry for what I did, it'll never happen again. Please, mom, let me come home..." He whimpers, and you take a sharp breath before nodding. 

"Come on, baby, we're gonna go." You say softly, feeling his knees shaking with relief. 

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" His tears soaked your shoulder, and you clutch him tightly. 

"It's okay, Cal. I know. Everything will be okay. We have to go home, Michael needs your help. He's been so destructive, he never acted out like this when you were home. And... I need you home too." You murmur, and he nods. 

"I... I thought I wanted to be the alpha. I thought I wanted to be powerful, but I want to keep you. I want you to keep me." Calum mumbled, and you nod, turning your head and kissing his cheek before pulling him away to get a good look at him.

He looked awful. His eyes were dark, bags beneath his eyes, displaying his exhaustion. He wore a ratty flannel and sweatpants, and you can tell he's starving. 

"I'm gonna keep you." You promise, and he smiled softly, resting his forehead against yours happily. 

You're content to stay there, to cuddle your baby, but the vibration in your pocket makes you anxious, and you wonder if something has happened. You pull back, much to Calum's chagrin, and check your phone.   
As you read the words on the bright little screen, your heart sinks to your stomach, and you think you're going to be ill.  
You knew you should never have left them alone. 

"Oh no. Fucking hell. We need to go. Now."

____________  
When you arrive back home, Michael is pacing in front of the door to the apartment, chewing his nails furiously. Although he's wearing sweat pants and a tee shirt, he looks more grown up than you've ever seen him, and it breaks you. He's just a child. He deserves to be hugged and cuddled, not being the adult.   
As soon as his gold eyes fall on you, he rushes forward, but he freezes as he sees Calum. You stand defensively for a moment, thinking that Michael is going to deck him, but such is not the case.   
You are shoved out of the way as soon as you set foot on the landing, but before you can turn around and stop him from hurting Cal, but you stop as you set them hugging tightly, brothers who'd lost each other, reunited at long last, even if it had barely been a week. It was heart warming, but you could hear the wailing coming from the apartment. You needed to get in there.   
"Michael? What happened?" You ask, laying a gentle hand upon his back. He's hesitant to pull away from his brother, but he does, turning to look at you with anxious eyes. 

"We were just sitting there, and Ashton was on the couch, and Luke and me, we were on the floor, and... Luke just climbed on him and bit him. He knew what he was doing, (Y/n). He wanted to bite him." He explains quickly, and you nod slowly, chewing your lip.   
"Is... Ashton, is he alive?" You ask. That's really what you've been concerned about. You can deal with him being undead, but regular dead? No way. You wanted Ashton, even if your relationship hadn't been the focal point of anything. You wanted Ashton. 

"Yeah... He's not doing well, mom, he needs you." He said quietly.   
"I said some awful things to him... maybe that's what set Luke off... Dammit..." He grit his teeth, digging the heels of his palms into his eyes.

"Michael, it's okay." You feel the relief drowning you, and you know the boys can too. 

"You talk to Luke, and I'll get Ashton. Calum, could you get some of the blood bags from the fridge? This is going to be a long night." You mumbled, handing over your keys as you head into the apartment. 

It's a mess. No more than usual, of course, but blood stains the new couch, and the living room shows signs of a struggle. There are claw marks on the walls, and a blood trail going down the hallway, but the boys are nowhere in sight. 

"Luke is chained in my room. Ashton is in yours." Michael informs you, and you nod, watching Calum head to the kitchen. 

"Alright... I might be a while. When you get Luke all set, you guys start cleaning up, okay?" You ask, and Michael nods, kissing your forehead.

"Be careful." He says, and you nod, heading into the room. 

The curtains are drawn, and the plain bedspread is rumpled, because of the man that laid on the cushioned mattress, twitching and whimpering occasionally. His wrists were chained together and to the headboard, a bit of slack left, like a leash. His eyes were crimson, his clothes torn and bloody, but he was crying, tugging at the chains. He freezes when the door clicks shut, raising his head and scrambling onto his knees as he catches your scent.   
"(Y/n)-" He chokes out, and you can't help it. You rush forward, hugging him tightly. He buries his face in your shoulder, his fingers curling into your shirt.

"Help me. Make it stop." He whimpers, and your heart breaks. 

"It will stop, baby, I promise. I'll make the pain go away. Everything will be okay." You give a comforting smile, running a hand through his curls.   
Where the hell was Calum with those blood bags?

"You want me to kiss it better?" You offer, buying a bit more time, anything to keep him subdued for a few more moments.   
Ashton looks up, his cheeks wet, but he nods, leaning in and capturing your lips in a weak, shaky kiss. You sigh softly, pulling him close and allowing him to slowly strengthen the movements, growing more comfortable. You were starving for his love, his affection, but as soon as you'd settled into his arms gentle kisses, there was a knock on the door, and Calum entered, holding two blood bags. 

"You." Ashton snarled, breaking away from you to snarl at him. 

"Ashton, calm. Everything is okay. He's a friend now. Luke is better, and Michael isn't going to hurt you. You just need to focus on learning control, okay?" You assure him. Calum nods, giving a smile and setting the bags on your lap before hurrying out, and you sigh, slowly undoing the chains that bind him. 

"Okay, look. I'm going to give this to you, and you're going to drink. You'll feel like you haven't eaten in months, and you won't be able to control yourself. But I'm here, okay?" You stroke his hair back out of his face, and he's trembling. You know he's caught the scent, and you can't force him to wait. You slowly hand him the bag, and you watch as he devours it, tearing it open and chugging down the liquid as quickly as possible. It stains his face, hands, his eyes glowing in the gloom. You allow him to be an animal as he feeds, taking the bag from him when it's empty. He growls at you, but turns, licking his fingers like a kid. You smile, kissing him gently, tasting the blood of your own lips as you pull away.   
You give him another bag, and he slurps it down, a bit slower this time. His control is astounding; he didn't devour it like the last one. You can tell.   
He's going to be okay.  
Its going to be okay.   
____________

 

"You cheated!" 

"Fuck off, no I didn't!"

"Calum, don't swear." 

"Fuck off, Ashton." 

"Do I need to come in there?" 

Family.   
That's what you've become, more than before. A month and a half has passed, and you've all come together. You've moved living arrangements a bit, of course, but the old three bedroom apartment is still home. 

Ashton has become your mate, as odd as that sounds. He stays by you most of the time, and sleeps in the same bed as you, the same that Luke is for Michael. Calum is content to be a third wheel on the boys, cuddling up and sprawling across them. 

You love them. 

They're all in the living room, a new round of FIFA having just been started, and you're in the kitchen, restocking the blood bank. You listen with a grin as they shout at each other, and you can tell that Luke is winning, the way he's moving so quickly.   
You think all four of them are playing, but a sudden pair of hands on your your hips make you jump. 

"Dammit, Ashton, I'm putting a bell on you." You roll your eyes, turning to face him, perching on the counter.   
That cute little pout is on his lips, and you lean in, nipping his lower lip playfully. He smirked, leaning in and kissing you softly. You smile, wrapping your arms around his neck as his hands rest on your thighs, rubbing light circles.   
"Hey." He says, and you lean back against the cabinets to take in his appearance. 

Though he's undead, he looks like he used to. Maybe happier. His curls are still beautiful, even his eyes are hypnotic. They're ringed with green, making them that much more lovely. His muscular arms hold you just right, his lips glide against yours perfectly, and his body fits against yours like you're made for each other. 

"Hey there. Any reason why you're being so affectionate today?" You ask, carding a hand through his curls. 

"Nah. I just love you." He replies, and you bite your lip before kissing him again softly. 

"I love you too, you stupid bloodsucker." You roll your eyes, and he gives you a butterfly kiss, resting his forehead against yours. 

"Motherfucker!" Comes the shout from the living room, and you laugh as Ashton pulls away, poking his head out of the kitchen. 

"Did you call me?" He asks, and instantly, there is a sudden chorus of screaming from the boys. Ashton laughs devilishly, and you shake your head, hopping down from the counter and flicking his ear. 

"Don't be mean to my babies." You say firmly, and you glance back at the kids, Calum with a pillow over his face, and Luke making wrenching noises. 

"You're lucky you're all cute. Or I would have eaten all of you losers a long time ago." Michael pipes up, and you snort.

"That's it. I'm leaving you losers here." You grab your jacket, and head for the door. 

"What?" Ashton follows you quickly, and you look back, rolling your eyes. 

"I'm going for a walk in the woods. Are you coming?" You ask, and he nods without hesitation. 

"Yeah, I'm not gonna let you go alone." 

"I know. I'm never alone. I have you guys now, and you know what? I'm never letting it go."   
____________


End file.
